ADVERTISING STILL HAS A WAY TO GO
By Adnews Staff
Women are feeling better about themselves today than they have in decades, but their view on advertising is getting more jaundiced, according to a study by Grey Advertising of New York. Sexist stereotypes may be disappearing but most women say advertising is more unrealistic than it was even two years ago. About 80% of the respondents said advertising never shows home life as it really is. Seventy per cent felt this way two years ago. Almost 80% said advertising is boring and repetitious, up from 63% in 1993. About 70% said advertising insults their intelligence, compared with 65% two years ago. Only 10% feel advertising is doing a very good or excellent job, down from 14%. This is bad news for marketers because women are the primary purchasing agents in 85% of U.S. homes. On the up side, women are feeling more confident about brands. Fifty-six per cent of the respondents said they view brands as an assurance of quality, compared to 37% two years ago. As well, 84% of the women surveyed feel their finances are getting better or remaining the same, compared with 64% in 1993.